


Free Yourself From Reason

by MsFaust



Series: Inky Tales [26]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 16:38:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12391956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsFaust/pseuds/MsFaust
Summary: When Joey Drew Studios switched to a more modern design for its cartoons, a very strange transformation began taking place.All that can be done is learning to cope with--and maybe even accept--the changes.Using characters from Brueklynn (https://brueklynn.tumblr.com)





	Free Yourself From Reason

The changes had been rather small at first, starting about a month after the style switch.

Wally had noticed that everyone at the studio seemed more energetic, and that some displays of emotion were more exaggerated. One particular argument between Sammy and Harry, one of the band's flute players, resulted in the latter having a spastic outburst, throwing his music sheets on the floor and storming out. Joey had started sending the interns to a different coffee shop, hoping it would have some effect, but that didn't work.

Then one day, Sammy came in wearing sunglasses, which he stubbornly refused to take off despite complaints. When Wally finally pinned him down and removed them, it was revealed that Sammy's eyes had changed to resemble those of a cartoon character.

Henry had taken one look and immediately went to find Joey.

(BATIM)

Upon realizing that he'd accidentally triggered a mass Toonification, the first thing Joey did was cast a sort of containment spell, to make sure that whatever was happening didn't spread any further. Next, he started looking into what could be done about it. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be much he could do.

"It could be because of the change in art style," he said. "The Ink Machine was designed for the old rubberhose aesthetic, not more modern looks."

"But you don't know how to fix it?" asked Jim, looking even more worried than usual.

"Sadly, no," Joey replied. "I tried a spell to turn Robert back, but...well..."

"You might be better off lettin' this take its course," Robert finished, folding his arms. The script writer was now basically a living mass of ink, though thankfully he didn't seem to be in danger of breaking down.

"Great. Just great." Wally slumped in his chair. "I thought cleanin' up all that ink was bad enough, but getting turned into a livin' cartoon?"

Murray put a hand on the janitor's shoulder. "Hey, we're in this together. You, me, and everyone else here."

"Besides," Joey added. "Once Bendy and his friends are here..."

"You're still going to try and bring them to life?" Henry asked incredulously.

"Who better to show us the ropes?" Joey grinned as he gave a shrug.

The animator had no answer to that.

(BATIM)

A few days later, Bendy and pals had been summoned and informed of the situation. Once they'd gotten accommodated to their new surroundings, they were quite happy to help the crew learn the ins and outs of Toondom.

"No, no, no," Bendy groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Ya need to imagine what you're pulling out of hammerspace. Just reaching behind you ain't gonna be enough! Seriously, Lawrence. What's the deal?"

"Well, I was thinking--" Sammy began, only to be smacked in the face.

"That! Right there! That's what you're doin' wrong!" Bendy put one hand on his hip, holding out the other. "You keep thinkin' about how things used to work for you. But Toons don't work that way." He tapped Sammy's nose. "You're a Toon now, so you gotta start thinking like one!"

"He has a point." Henry commented, looking up from the sheet of paper he was doodling on. The animator had always found drawing to be relaxing, and this situation was no different. "You really need to loosen up, Sammy."

Sammy scoffed. "Excuse me for knowing how to act my age, unlike some people around here."

"C'mon, Sammy-boy!" David poked his head in. "Live a little. Maybe this'd be easier for you if you didn't act like you've got a stick up your ass all the time." He pulled down one eyelid and stuck out his tongue.

"Why you!"

Angrily, Sammy whipped out a book from somewhere and chucked it at the voice actor's head. David dodged it, his laughter echoing as he ran off down the hall.

"See?" Bendy applauded. "Once you stop thinking in real-world logic, it's easy!"

Blinking in surprise, the music director looked down at his hand. "Huh."

(BATIM)

"How're you holding up?"

Wally looked down at his hands. By now, all those affected by the transformation spell has been completely Toonified. "Better, I guess."

"I'm still not completely used to this either," Murray admitted, putting his arm around the janitor's shoulder as he sat down beside him. "But we're in this together. You, me, and everybody else here."

"Thanks, pal."

Lying back on the hill, the two looked upwards, relaxing as they watched the clouds drift by.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Illusion of Living](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12395229) by [phantomthief_fee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomthief_fee/pseuds/phantomthief_fee)




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